


when the curtains close

by entremeler



Category: NU'EST
Genre: Alternate Universe - Actors, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:07:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21989254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/entremeler/pseuds/entremeler
Summary: It's fifteen seconds to midnight on New Year's Eve when Aron finds himself being kissed by no other than Hwang Minhyun.
Relationships: Hwang Minhyun/Aaron Kwak | Aron
Comments: 19
Kudos: 51





	1. read the answer on my lips

**Author's Note:**

> a quick self-indulgent thing to start the new year with! i hope you enjoy reading.
> 
> update: edited the title + summary. this just turned into a chapter fic

Year-end festivities are always tedious. 

Aron learns this quickly, if his far too tired feet are of any indication. In this aspect, he supposes, show business is not that different from the modelling scene.

Everyone is curious about the hotshot actor, former model Aaron Kwak. Publicity and maintaining the fans' interest is vital, he knows this but he is, for the lack of a better word, _tired_. He is itching to escape this interview, especially with questions as uninteresting as asking him what his plans for the new year are. Honestly, Aron doesn't know- does not have the time to ponder about it. He has never been the type to plan anyway.

In the end, he settles on answering, "Probably spending more time with my dogs." At least that's not far off from the truth.

Having been informed of his schedule beforehand, the reporter acquiesces to his manager's demands to wrap it up. "Last question, Aaron. Are the rumors of you working with Hwang Minhyun on a new project true?"

Of course, the press would latch on to the newest hot issue. Luckily, he had seen this coming. Time to turn on the charm then. Making sure to wink at the camera, he announces, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait to find out." With that, he excuses himself and proceeds outside, getting inside the car waiting to drive him off without much delay.

It is true. After several successful non-lead roles, his big break came as he is slated to star in a highly anticipated drama alongside Hwang Minhyun, professional actor with several awards bagged under his name. Any newbie would get eaten by intimidation, but Aron is not anything if persistent in proving his worth. 

Finally reaching the venue, he brushes the non-existent dust off his shoulders, straightens the ends of his suit jacket, and throws one quick look at the mirror to check if anything needs polishing. He emerges out of the car wearing a twinkle in his eyes and a charming smile. Blinding flashes greet him as he walks to the steps to where the year-end party of their entertainment company was being held.

The party has already started, it seems. One hand swinging to snatch a champagne flute, Aron mingles with the crowd easily, getting familiar with important personalities. Let your face be _remembered_ \- an incessant reminder drilled to his head by his manager, Kim Jonghyun.

Why wait for an opportunity to fall into your lap when you can work for it? A reason why Aron made sure to wear the dangly earring that brings attention to the slope of his jaw when the light catches it. Or so his fans tell him.

Eventually, the muscles on his face strain from smiling and his bow feels a bit tight on his neck. That was his cue to pluck himself out of the crowd and settles on the mini bar.

As an actor, Aron prides himself in masking his expressions with ease. But under Hwang Minhyun's unrelenting gaze, he finds, he has a long way to go.

The man is slowly approaching him. Meanwhile, Aron's eyes are immediately drawn to the way the dress shirt hugs the planes of his chest nicely. Trousers tailored purposely to showcase the seemingly endless legs of his. 

From the sea of beautiful faces in the crowd, he stands out. Minhyun has the aura of a seasoned actor, every step commanding respect. A predator Aron is aware he should be wary of, but the man has always been too pretty for his own good.

Minhyun catches him staring, not that he's particularly hiding it.

Calling on the bartender, he orders Minhyun a non-alcoholic drink before the man has perched himself on the space next to Aron. Minhyun inclines his head to his direction, thanking him. Nursing his own drink in his hand, Aron notices Minhyun is being uncharacteristically quiet today. 

By now, they would have easily fallen into a chatter about anything and everything. It's how he knew Hwang Minhyun steers away from alcohol. 

After their first screen test, the director said it's good exercise to spend time together, get to know each other. Be comfortable with intimacy. Develop the chemistry that was already there. After all, they were supposed to play the part of longtime lovers. 

Aron almost hates how easy he slips into character, when it's not the wine that brings out the color on his cheeks, but the stupid attraction bubbling on his chest whenever the other does as much as breathe in his vicinity. In the end, Aron lets him be and decides to keep him company. 

He sneaks a glance on his watch and gets surprised that it is now only fifteen seconds to midnight. No wonder people around them are scrambling to pair up before the clock strikes 12, most likely to welcome the new year liplocking. Watching the scene unfold before him, Aron has half the mind to do the same when Minhyun speaks up.

"...would you mind if i kiss you?" At this, Aron's right eyebrow raised. A kiss has long since held importance to Aron, resigned to the fact that it was something that came with the job. 

Clearly, it meant something important to Hwang Minhyun. Because for the first time since Aron knew him, the Minhyun offscreen, his face lacked the assured composure it wore like second skin. His shoulders are tensed and he was visibly refusing to look at him. 

Not for the first time, Aron was intrigued by Minhyun.

He doesn't question his actions when his hand reached for his co-actor's chin, moving it slightly so that those eyes are trained on him. He doesn't stop to ask himself just why he's agreeing to this. It's probably the way he asked for permission, like Aron's kiss is worth a fortune.

Aron wants Minhyun's full, undivided attention. He nods to let Minhyun get the message before pulling him into a darker corner of the room. 

Besides, if he's being honest, something about those lips, parted and inviting, looked too soft, just ripe enough for picking.

This still counts as practice, right? Surely, the script calls for a kissing scene somewhere and he wants to get it right on their first try.

_Ten._

_Nine._

_Eight._

_Seven._

Aron finds himself leaning closer, desire clearly taking over. He makes a mental note to dissect just what that means for him later. 

It delights him to see the tips of Minhyun's ears reddening, eyes alight with anticipation. He looks like he actually wants to kiss Aron! There's a reason Minhyun is a good actor. Suddenly, the thought of seeing what Minhyun would look like in love with him- no, his character, excites Aron.

Now chest to chest, he becomes aware of the heat radiating off the other. The time to back out has long ended; the repercussion left for Aron of the new year to deal with. Right now, Aron wants nothing more than those lips against his.

_Six._

_Five._

_Four._

_Three._

Minhyun leans forward, closing the distance against them. Taking Aron by surprise, the taste of Minhyun's kisses are more intoxicating like no other alcohol, making his eyes flutter close. It's addicting and one thought resounds in his mind: _more_.

_Two._

He tightens his grip on Minhyun's shoulders, feeling the cloth of the expensive suit wrinkle between his fingers. Mind in a cloudy haze, he wonders if the firecrackers were set off too early or it's just their heartbeats that sounded thunderous in his ears.

Pulling back the slightest to take a breath, Minhyun reaches in, tilting his head downwards to deepen the kiss. Easily falling back into rhythm they started with. Aron feels him circling toned arms around his waist, lifting him a little and pulling him closer. Making it obvious how perfectly his body slots between Minhyun's arms.

_One._

Long after the countdown ended, applause fading and the telltale noise of fireworks bringing another round of clapping, Minhyun was still kissing him. Tender, as if he was taking his time to savor a good meal. 

And then, like actors would if the director yelled cut and the slate snaps shut, Hwang Minhyun, ever the professional actor, moves away from Aron, staying at a respectable distance. Aron immediately feels cold.

He clears his throat. "So, you wanted to have my new year's kiss?"

He didn't intend to tease but seeing his co-actor look like a deer caught in headlights greatly amused Aron. With a slight shake in his movements that Aron detects because he's _looking_ for it, Minhyun manages to bow to him and just like that, his face regained its usual passiveness. It's fascinating how good Minhyun is at his job.

"Enjoy the rest of your night, Aaron."

Then Minhyun walks away like the room is his red carpet. Back turned to Aron, looking the part of a lover who slipped away from Aron's grasp, and left him with nothing but slightly swollen lips.

But no cameras are rolling right now.

Making sure his voice is leveled, he yells to the retreating figure. "I'm glad it was you, Minhyun!" Letting out a bewildered laugh when Minhyun stumbles, seeming to trip on air. Licking his lower lip absentmindedly, Aron finds himself anticipating the next time they will meet.

  
  
  



	2. light a fire on my skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is a known fact that no one is immune to the Master of Gazes in his element, not even Minhyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> minhyun pov, set some time before the first chapter.

Under any other circumstances, Hwang Minhyun would not partake in impulse buying.

Minhyun doesn't know what came over him. As soon as he laid his eyes on a familiar face gracing the cover of a fashion magazine, he snagged it from the shelf and lined to the counter to pay for it as discreetly as he could, along with his poetry book.

It was the last copy, the person at the counter told him, failing to hide their curiosity that someone like him would purchase the latest issue of _1st Look._ Minhyun himself did not know why. 

Returning to the privacy of his own home, he takes out his new purchase out of the brown bag. The glossy cover has the words _Aaron Kwak, Master of Gazes_ printed in big, bold letters, looking much like warning he did not heed. Much more dangerous is the handsome face of the man in the cover.

Minhyun is inclined to agree, the title was certainly befitting.

Finally, he flips the magazine open. He was greeted by the sight of Aron looking like a vision in yellow backdrop, wearing a grey strap shirt thrown over a sheer top, red flowing pants emphasizing his powerful stance.

His eyes are wearing a glint that does not lose its effect no matter how many times Minhyun sees it, Aaron Kwak's signature look. _Keep your eyes trained on me_ , it seemed to convey. Minhyun knows giving Aron his attention wasn't his choice to make. He would never dare to look away, pinned down by the intensity of his gaze.

Even with Minhyun's untrained eye, he notices the way Aron commands all attention to him, from artfully tousled hair to the black ankle boots clad he's sporting. It's enticing.

Minhyun feels the warmth in his cheeks spreading down to his neck, pooling in the pit of his stomach. The pages of the magazine felt scorching to touch and each glance he steals from it sets fire on his nerves. Still, he trudges on and turns to the next page. 

The next photo sees the sheer undershirt in its full glory. Except this time, it is a close up shot of the model's face, highlighting the contours of Aron's sculpted visage. A flush lightly dusts his cheeks, full eyelashes bringing out the color of his orbs.

In the photo, Aron had his back turned on the camera, head tilted showing the right side of his face. Minhyun's eyes widen slightly when a tattoo comes into plain view, barely hidden by the see-through material of his top.

 _ **Eis Quos Amo**_ ㅡ the neat script on Aron's right shoulder reads. 

It does nothing to douse the heat he feels. The warmth permeates, continuously spreading its tendrils lower.

Minhyun's world seemed to narrow down on that single page. There's a steady buzzing in his ears as raw desire shot through his veins. His thumb lightly traces the inked words on the model's right shoulder. Vision hyper aware of the small patch of skin visible from where the sheer top failed to cover.

He feels slightly mortified at how a mere picture flustered him, got this strong of a reaction from his body if he did not know what the effect the model has been having on him.

Minhyun had seen, been intimate with (on camera), a fair share of beautiful people. He was no stranger to attraction and yet the way he's reacting tells otherwise. He doesn't dare to consider what is it that made Aaron Kwak so… different.

Willing the warmth to fade away, he allows himself to look at one last photo. He drinks in the sight of the man sprawled in a bed. A spectacle in black ensemble against the pristine white sheets. With one hand poised under the back of his head, a cherry red line on his pant leg running from his hips down drawing attention to his bent right knee.

Minhyun was staring at temptation in the flesh.

Even though he feels as if his body was on fire, his mind imprints the image that he knows will haunt him in his dreams. Within the recesses of his mind, Minhyun will think of it as his favorite picture. Flustered down to the tips of his fingers, he musters the strength to shut the magazine close. 

Looking back, when the news that Aaron Kwak was possibly his co-lead in his new drama, Minhyun was not immediately opposed to the idea. Though he had to admit, the choice was unexpected. Turns out, he was chosen for good reason.

He has seen him in passing before, in social gatherings though their interactions were sparse. They didn't last long, Minhyun is often left watching as Aron saunters off to another person, but long enough to leave an impression on him.

The rookie actor that charms everyone off their feet. Minhyun supposes he understands, Aaron Kwak is radiant. There is no question. He belongs in the spotlight, like he was meant to exist in brilliant bursts of light.

Minhyun was drawn to him, as do many faceless others. He tamps down the irritation in his chest at that thought.

He has indulged in watching Aron's work since, and found it admirable how he shifted into another career and became so devastatingly good at it still. Now, he knows he has the ability to make any piece of clothing look exquisite too.

Needless to say, Minhyun gives in and what was first an impulse purchase became a whole stack of fashion magazines, the same face to be seen in every cover. If anyone were to know of his growing collection, it would not come as a surprise that Minhyun says a resounding yes when his manager calls to confirm if he would accept this project.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my [twitter](https://bit.ly/2DDY7Xr)


End file.
